The Open edX project is run by Axim Collaborative. They bring together the right partners to ensure that the Open edX Platform remains the best open source learning technology. Axim selected Open edX partner OpenCraft to improve the Open edX Platform to allow learners, faculty, and administrators to better find, organize, and link to content by component or course.

For example, with the new capability, content owners and instructional designers can search for  tags that match their requirements and apply them to their course content. Administrators gain better control over taxonomies, either their own or of third-parties like Open Skills Network or Lightcast Skills, that help them categorize and sort content for better retrieval and understanding. For learners, it means quickly finding the right course to meet their needs.

Adding tags to content is only the start of the Open edX Platform’s Content Tagging Strategy that ultimately will enable authors to build adaptive experiences customized to individual learner profiles and let learners create self-directed learning pathways.

The new tagging system is flexible, allowing users to tag all levels of an Open edX course—from the course as a whole, to its sections, subsections, units, and individual components. The tagging functionality comes with a search feature. For example, say a course developer needs to build a new course and doesn’t know if there might be existing content that she can reuse. With the Open edX platform’s content tagging capability, she can search for tags that match her course requirements.  In the example below, she finds four modules that had been tagged by their creators and adds them to her course. In this way, course authors can quickly build new courses while leveraging the most relevant content. 

Powerful search functionality enables content authors to find items within a course or library using either free-text search or tag-based filtering. Users can refine their search results by content type to make it easier to find a specific section, subsection, unit, or component within a course.

Besides the tagging tool, this effort also includes a taxonomy management system which provides a list of the taxonomies that are available to the user. It also allows authors to import third-party taxonomies like the Open Skills Management Network, or use custom taxonomies created by the organization. Once imported, the user can manage the taxonomy in a number of ways, including editing and updating the taxonomy. Changes will automatically be applied across any course content that has been tagged using the affected taxonomy.

The new capabilities include a taxonomy editor and tagging drawer that primarily uses pre-built components from the  Paragon Design System. A design system is a set of reusable UI elements that deliver visual consistency. By using pre-made components, we ensure the design stays in line with the broader Open edX ecosystem. It also saves development time, prioritizes accessibility, responsiveness, and scalability, and allows us to benefit from ongoing updates from the community.

The Content Tagging feature became available to the Open edX community with the release of Redwood in June 2024. It has continued to grow and improve as the Content Libraries project. We’re thrilled to see course authors actively using the feature and excited to support its continued development.

The post Introducing Content Tagging appeared first on Open edX.

Meilisearch Integration – Now the default search engine for Tutor-based deployments.
New Content Libraries (Beta) – Enhanced content management and organization.
Infrastructure Updates – Changes to course asset handling, media storage, and Ubuntu 22.04 compatibility.
Forum Migration – Transition from the Ruby-based backend to a Python-based solution.
Deprecations & Removals – Legacy Content Libraries, Optimizely, commerce coordinator, and more.

For full details and upgrade instructions, please review the Sumac Developer & Operator Release Notes.

What are you most excited about in Sumac? Let us know in the comments!

The post Open edX Sumac Release is Here! appeared first on Open edX.

Visit the Sandbox

Why Register on the Redwood Sandbox?

Experience the Redwood Release First-Hand:

Get to know the newest Open edX release, Redwood, which was launched in June 2024. Explore exciting new features such as the Content Tagging feature, where tags are structured into Taxonomies, the new navigation experience, and the revolutionary Aspects data and analytics tool designed to provide course creators and administrators with valuable insights on user behavior and performance. Learn more here.

Free and Unrestricted Access:

There is no cost or commitment required to use the public sandbox! Simply register and explore the various user roles the platform offers at your own pace. Experiment with course creation tools and familiarize yourself with the Redwood release and its user interface (UI). The Open edX sandbox provides a risk-free environment to test and evaluate whether this LMS solution suits your project requirements and goals.

Hands-On Discovery for All:

Whether you are an experienced course content developer, new to online learning, or simply curious about the Open edX LMS, this public sandbox is the perfect way to get started.

Seamless Sandbox Development and Maintenance:

Abstract Technology, a verified and trusted service provider in the Open edX community, supports the development and maintenance of this robust and user-friendly sandbox.

The Open edX Sandbox is Perfect for:

Educators and Trainers:

Learn about the latest tools and functionalities in the Open edX platform to streamline online course delivery.

Learning Experience and Instructional Designers:

Experiment with Open edX Redwood’s features to create engaging, interactive, and collaborative e-learning experiences for every type of learner.

Anyone Interested in Open edX:

Explore and evaluate the potential of the Open edX platform for creating and delivering online learning programs.

If you are interested in an Open edX deployment, whether as a SaaS or on-premise solution, simply contact a provider from the marketplace list or reach out directly to Abstract Technology. The open-source community is here to provide help and support for your project. Get in touch with us.

Content Tagging and Taxonomies:

With the new Redwood release, the Open edX platform has introduced a feature that will revolutionize the way educators interact with course content: Taxonomy. This feature offers numerous advantages that enhance the overall learning experience.

Taxonomy allows for a structured classification of course materials. By categorizing content into specific tags and groups, educators can ensure that the material is well-structured. This makes it easier for instructors to navigate through courses, locate specific topics, and understand the relationships between different pieces of content.

Additionally, taxonomies can be uploaded directly into the Open edX Studio. Templates for uploading taxonomies are available for download in Studio as CSV or JSON files. Teachers can easily implement a taxonomy without having to create it from scratch. Download the example files for taxonomies here (CSV and JSON).

This sandbox is hosted by Abstract Technology, an Open edX Partner, and is publicly accessible, ensuring a seamless and familiar experience. With our expertise in developing and customizing Open edX e-learning solutions, we have developed this valuable resource for the community and actively maintain it.

Our team has poured immense effort and passion into this sandbox. We are incredibly proud of what our developers have accomplished for the Open edX community. This sandbox represents the latest advancements and best practices in the Open edX platform, and we are confident that it will meet the high expectations of users and learners worldwide.

Head over to the Open edX sandbox and get ready to explore the exciting world of the Open edX Redwood release. We are proud to empower educators, instructional designers, and learners everywhere with this free and accessible sandbox environment.

The Importance of a Continuous Feedback Loop:

We are always open to feedback and suggestions for improvement. Feel free to contact us and share your thoughts to help us make the sandbox even better.

Only with your feedback can we continuously refine our services and products to meet the needs of our customers and prospects. If you want to share feedback, please use the contact form. Also, check other resources like:

• The Open edX Extensions Directory
• The Open edX Feature List

Already have a running Open edX platform but want to learn more about how to use and implement specific components? Take a look at the How-To-Video series on the Open edX YouTube channel.

If you encounter any problems with the sandbox or have recommendations, suggestions for improvement, or other topics about the sandbox, you can share them here, and we’ll help address your concerns.

The post Explore the Redwood release in the new Open edX sandbox appeared first on Open edX.

A huge thanks to the Open edX community engineering, product, and testing teams who have contributed to making this release happen.

To see all the new feature notes, see: https://docs.openedx.org/en/latest/community/release_notes/redwood/feature_release_notes.html 

To see the Operator notes, see: https://docs.openedx.org/en/latest/community/release_notes/redwood/dev_op_release_notes.html 

Introducing Aspects, a new data and analytics system

Redwood includes a brand new reporting and analytics system for course delivery teams and site operators. Aspects Reports features interactive charts and tables, which provide access to near real-time course and instance data. Course teams can leverage Aspects to track progress and success metrics at both the course and individual learner levels. 

Highlights include: 

• Course-level Dashboards that display enrollment, engagement and performance information for all learners in a course
• Individual and At-Risk Learner Dashboards that surface activity data for learners at risk of not completing a course
• Interactive report tools such as hover states, filters, and cross-report filters

Aspects is not installed by default with Redwood; operators should visit the Operator Release Notes for instructions on how to install. Going forward, Aspects will be the recommended analytics system for Open edX instances, with options for using standard out-of-the-box reports or for customizing reports according to specific needs.

For more information about the feature, see: 

https://docs.openedx.org/en/latest/community/release_notes/redwood/aspects.html

For more information about the configuring this feature for your installation, see: 

https://docs.openedx.org/en/latest/community/release_notes/redwood/dev_op_release_notes.html#researcher-data-experiences

Introducing Content Tagging

With the new Content Tagging feature, course authors and instructional designers are able to add tags to their course content. Instructional designers can align courses, or content within courses, to skills or competencies required for achieving certifications. Content tagging also improves content authoring and content reuse workflows by making it easier to find content and reuse it. 

Highlights include:

• A tagging tool that lets authors add tags to full courses, as well as to content within courses, including individual text, video and problem blocks, units, subsections and sections
• Support for any third-party taxonomy, empowering course teams to choose their preferred taxonomy or to create their own

The new Content Tagging feature is available by default. If your system is not yet running the Course Authoring MFE, talk to your operations team to enable it. 

For more information about the feature, see: 

https://docs.openedx.org/en/latest/community/release_notes/redwood/content_tagging.html

For more information about the configuring this feature for your installation, see: 

https://docs.openedx.org/en/latest/community/release_notes/redwood/dev_op_release_notes.html

Studio gets a facelift

The Studio authoring environment has been redesigned and enhanced, with a number of new features that significantly improve authoring efficiency.  The redesign revolves around a sleeker, modernized UI. Every page in Studio* has been converted to the Paragon design system. This platform-wide system ensures cohesion and consistency across every authoring workflow. 

*excluding the Unit Page, which will be delivered in Sumac

Highlights include:

• Search bar and filters on Studio Home, making it easier for course teams to manage large numbers of courses
• Full text editors with complete suite of word processing tools on the Course Updates and Handouts page
• Improvements to app configurations on the Pages & Resources page
• Bulk actions and improved asset info and metadata on the Files page

The new Studio experience is enabled by default in Redwood. 

For more information about the feature, see: 

https://docs.openedx.org/en/latest/community/release_notes/redwood/studio_facelift.html

For more information about the configuring this feature for your installation, see: 

https://docs.openedx.org/en/latest/community/release_notes/redwood/dev_op_release_notes.html

Re-introducing the in-course sidebar navigation

The new navigation experience allows learners to navigate through course material linearly or non-linearly via a new UI element on the side of the page that displays the user’s current course section, subsection, and unit. The sidebar lets learners move freely through the course, without having to navigate away from the course content. This helps them to remain in-context, while keeping track of upcoming course material or referencing past material for review.

Highlights include:

• Full course outline display alongside course content
• Next and previous buttons that enable learners to navigate linearly
• Non-linear navigation pathways
• Progress indicators

Site operators can choose to enable the sidebar.

For more information about the feature, see: 

https://docs.openedx.org/en/latest/community/release_notes/redwood/sidebar_nav.html

For more information about the configuring this feature for your installation, see: 

https://docs.openedx.org/en/latest/community/release_notes/redwood/dev_op_release_notes.html#learner-instructor-experiences

Introducing Beta Course Search

Course Search enables course authors to conduct searches within a course, or across courses, to find content. Course Search makes it easy and quick for authors to find content that they may wish to edit or reuse. This is particularly helpful for authors who are staff members on multiple different courses, or on courses that have been built by multiple authors.

Highlights include:

• Ability to refine searches to a single course or to search across all courses
• Results at the block, unit, subsection and section level
• Filter by tags and by content type

While it is in Beta, Course Search is not enabled by default, but Operators can choose to enable it.

For more information about the feature, see: 

https://docs.openedx.org/en/latest/community/release_notes/redwood/course_search.html

For more information about the configuring this feature for your installation, see: 

https://docs.openedx.org/en/latest/community/release_notes/redwood/dev_op_release_notes.html#learner-instructor-experiences

Leveraging these new features for powerful authoring outcomes

When used together, Content Tagging, Course Search and Content Copy/Paste are powerful tools for course teams to easily find content, manage content, and reuse content, all contributing to authoring efficiency and velocity.

The content tagging feature enables authors to add tags to course content. Authors can tag individual course components like videos and problems, or full units, sections and subsections.

The copy/paste feature enables authors to copy any part of the course and paste it into any other course. Authors can copy individual course components like videos and problems, or full units, subsections and sections.

The course search feature enables authors to quickly search for any content contained within a course.

Taken together, content authors may wish to find all of the videos in their courses that cover the subject of “factoring binomial equations”. When all of the relevant videos are tagged for “factoring binomial equations”, authors can conduct a search and easily find this content. If they wish to reuse a particular video, they can then copy it and paste it into any other course.

The post Announcing the Redwood Release! appeared first on Open edX.

Authors can utilize the unit copy-past functionality from one of two places:

1. From the Course Outline page
2. From the Unit page

From the Course Outline page, authors can copy a unit by clicking the triple dot menu at the top of the unit block and selecting “Copy to Clipboard”.

When building a subsection in the course outline, an option to “Paste Unit” appears:

From the Unit page, authors can copy a unit by clicking on the “Copy Unit” button in the right-hand sidebar.

Authors can then paste the unit into any subsection via the new “Paste as New Unit” dropdown modal in the top horizontal navigation. Authors can also paste Units copied from the Unit Page into the Course Outline, and vice versa.

Copy & Paste for components are both available in the Open edX Quince Release.

The post The Release of the Second Phase – Copy & Paste! appeared first on Open edX.

For Learners

New Learner Home

With the Quince Release comes the new Learner Home. The Learner Home comes with an updated UI, a few new features, and extended functionality as well as many of the same features that the previous course dashboard had.

Learner Home is the hub for learners to easily access and track courses in which they’re currently enrolled, and explore new courses. The Learner Home is intended to replace the old course dashboard.

Updated UI

Learner Home has a sleek, simpler, and easier-to-navigate UI, with updates such as pagination that make it easier to manage large lists of courses. The page is built with Paragon, allowing it to be easily styled with brand colors and components. 

This new UI is a harbinger for a platform-wide UI facelift, coming in 2024.

New Sort and Filter Feature

Learners can use the new “refine” button on Learner Home to filter through large lists of courses by course status. They can also sort by the most recent enrollment date or title.

Improvements to Course Cards

Like the prior course dashboard experience, courses are presented in a series of course cards. Course cards display the course thumbnail, information about the course, upgrade options, and pathways for learners to resume course content. Further course actions, such as unenrolling and other opt-in settings, have been moved to the triple-dot menu at the upper righthand corner of the course cards.

Masquerade Feature for Course Teams

Site staff can now masquerade as users on the platform by typing a username or email in the “View as” box and hitting submit. This is designed to be “view only” so change actions (e.g. enroll, unenroll, selecting a session) are blocked in this view.

New In-Context Discussion Sidebar

With new courses created in Quince, learners can interact with discussion forums within course units, via a new collapsable discussion sidebar. The new discussion sidebar replaces the old discussion XBlock experience.

This sidebar lets learners view, respond to, and initiate discussion threads relevant to the course unit they are viewing, without having to navigate away from the course content. Discussion topics will stay close to the content they support. Learners will have a seamless experience interacting with peers as they build their understanding and grasp on course learning objectives. 

We’ll include highlights from the new sidebar in a future post.

For Course Authors

Copy & Paste course components and units

With Quince comes the ability to copy and paste course components (text blocks, video blocks and problem blocks) and course units. This new feature makes it easier to reuse course content, either within the same course or in a different course.
For more information about unit copy and paste, see here.

The post Quince Feature Roundup appeared first on Open edX.